Dawn of the Inferi
by rock-dobby's-socks
Summary: Hogwarts is in for it's biggest battle yet. While still in the middle of the war a new threat emerges. Uber-Inferi that kills and infects anything they choose. on hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

It had been going on for weeks now. Reports on the television of strange attacks on muggles. Of course it didn't say "muggles," as most of them didn't even know such a word existed, but Harry knew that there was no witch or wizard stupid enough as to expose him or his or herself on television. With the exception of Dedalus Diggle of course.

It wasn't until Harry came downstairs after a screech of "boy" from Aunt Petunia, to find Dumbledore sat comfortably on the living room armchair he knew that things must have been getting out of hand in the wizarding world as well.

"Come on, my dear boy. It's not safe here anymore," the old wizard said sadly. "Grab my arm and we'll disaparate now." He then turned to Harry's aunt and uncle and asked "are you sure you won't come. You'll be much safer at Hogwarts."

Harry's head was spinning. _Its only halfway through the holidays and I'm going back to Hogwarts? So caught up in his thoughts he barely heard Uncle Vernon's rant about "how there was no ruddy way that he and his family would hide up in a school full of freaks when there was work to be done."_

_Before he knew it he was feeling the strange new sensation of being pulled through a rubber tube, seconds later appearing in the familiar village of Hogsmeade feeling both sick and confused._

"_Sir. What's going on? Has this got something to do with the murders the muggles have been talking about? What's causing it? Is it the imperius curse?" All of Harry's questions started to flow out in a long stream._

_Dumbledore started to lead him up towards the castle before telling Harry in a kind voice, "there seems to be a rather large formation of inferi spreading through both the muggle and wizarding world. But these are much stronger than any ever documented. They can infect those whom they bite, and add their victims to their ranks. So far we've tallied about ten thousand."_

_Harry gasped. This was much worse than anything he had ever imagined. He had read about inferi briefly in his fourth year, and the ones in the text book were horrific enough. To think that these ones could actually infect…_

_Once arriving at the familiar entrance hall Dumbledore explained that he had been encouraging students, parents, and any wizard who would listen that the safest place for them was Hogwarts. Entering the great hall Harry was in awe at the amount of faces that looked up at him from all corners of the room. Though there were a few familiar faces such as Neville Longbottom and his grandmother, an entire table of redheads that could only be the Weasleys, and a few other students that he had perhaps passed in the hallways, there were hundreds of faces he had never seen before._

_Dumbledore drifted away to the head of the hall, and Harry quickly rushed over to where the Weasly family were gathered, to find Hermione and her parents (whom Harry had only met once before) were also huddled with them. Harry was just about to ask everyone when they had arrived when Dumbledore began to speak._

"_Friends, Colleagues, Wizards and Muggles. I would just like to start this announcement by thanking you all for having such faith in myself and the school. Now as you all know, inferi have been growing stronger and stronger, both in physical strength and numbers. My plan of action is thus; those of age that wish to help eradicate this problem shall join me, to track down and kill as many of them as we can. Those not of age shall stay behind along with any of you who do not wish to be involved in the fighting."_

" _So far," he continued, "they have not reached the perimeters of Hogsmeade and therefore have no way of reaching the castle. I plan to try and defeat them before they get the chance. However, in the unfortunate event that they do build an army powerful enough to reach us here, everyone needs to be on guard. Wards will only last for so long."_

_As Dumbledore finished his speech everyone started to talk amongst themselves. "I wish I was of age-" moaned Harry. "I'd have loved to help."_

"_Don't talk like that Harry," said Hermione gravely. "We might soon have no choice."_

_Little did they know that Hermione was right, and that at that moment dark forces were urging the dead to rise up and fight against Hogwarts. At there was only one person that could be behind it. Lord Voldemort._


	2. Chapter 2

Harry awoke late one night to the sound of Dumbledore's voice booming into the common room. It had been just under a week since he had arrived at Hogwarts, and from what Dumbledore was saying the inferi had finally broken the wards and reached Hogsmeade.

A large amount of the older wizards that had taken residence in the Gryffindor common room rushed out of the portrait hole to assemble in the entrance hall. The younger students were told to stay calm, but to stay armed at all times.

"What are we going to do if they get in?" Sobbed Neville, clinging on tightly to his pet toad Trevor in an attempt to stay calm. "I cant- I can't defend myself…"

"Neville, don't you remember last year? At the ministry? You managed alright with the death eaters, you'll be fine now." Said a visibly nervous Hermione trying to reassure her friend. "At least we know who's behind it now. Dumbledore will sort everything in no time, I promise."

The day after Harry had arrived, Severus Snape had appeared looking very nervous. He had explained how Voldemort was behind the inferi's appearance, and that he was planning on attacking the castle as soon as his numbers were large enough.

As the rest of the school buzzed with fear and excitement, the wizard army set out to defend the school from the threat that was just mere miles away.

When Dumbledore and the rest of the adults, both wizarding and muggle alike reached Hogsmeade it was clear that the problem was much bigger than expected. On the floor were several heavily bleeding bodies littered about the street. Bodies that were unmoving until Madam Pomfrey rushed out to aid them.

As soon as they caught sight of the kindly faced woman, they reached out from the floor, nails tearing into her flesh, and teeth sinking down hard into her. A flood of multicoloured lights filled the street. Every witch and wizard there had aimed curses at the bodies, while the muggles stood at the back, hoping for the best.

The curses had caused the inferi to rebound away from the woman, but almost instantly they were standing back up. "Remember what we've learned, a good decapitation works best." Shouted Dumbledore to the concerned crowd.

Madam Pomfrey was now huddled with her back against the wall of the Three Broomsticks, but there was nothing that could be done for her now. She had been bitten, and therefore infected. While she knew that there was no saving anyone who had been attacked by these monsters, she had still rushed out to help what she thought were still humans, out of what she felt was moral obligation. Now she was going to become one, she expected no help. With one last battle cry she picked up a lid from a upturned bin and ran straight into the crowd of inferi. The last thing she saw before she felt the life drain out of her was the pale, twisted face of Madam Rosemerta.

It was three in the morning when the worn face of Remus Lupin clambered into the Gryffindor common room, soaked in blood that was not his own. "Everyone, you need to get ready. They're coming!"


End file.
